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Sunday, 3 June 2012

A Brief History of Business Cards

You will be forgiven for making the assumption that business cards,
as we know them, were invented in the 1980s, the decade that corporate
was in the bandwagon list. Sorry to tell you, but you’d be wrong.
Business cards have been in use for many, many centuries. Almost as soon
as companies and individuals savvied-up to the idea of advertising
their services, business cards have been around. Here we take a quick
dash through the decades to look at the origins of that humble, yet
invaluable, 3.5 by 2-inch rectangle of card, tracing the development
from its invention back in the 15th century up to today’s examples –
which more often than not aren’t even made of a card!

Visiting cards

Experts tend to agree that the origins of the business card can be
traced back to China 15th century. They were known as ‘visiting cards’
and served as a calling card to announce one’s intention of meeting with
another individual. They could also be handed at the door of elite
establishments so that the owner of the establishment could decide if
permitting a meeting was worthwhile. Visiting cards were an essential
self-promotion tool of the upper classes, a personal advertisement and a
basis of forging an introduction.

17th Century

The practise of exchanging cards soared during the 17th century,
particularly in Europe. The highly mannered reign of Louis XIV is
considered to be the calling card heyday, where an individual’s success
or failure in society often depended on the strength of their personal
promotion.Image Credit

Business card etiquette

During the 17th and 18th centuries, a strict protocol existed to
ensure that calling cards were employed correctly. If a gentleman wished
to call on a lady, he had a lot to think about. On making a ﬁrst call,
he had to make sure there is a separate card for each lady of the
household. Alternatively, he could fold his card down the middle to
indicate it was meant for all members of the household. Cards had to be
left with the servant; admission to the house would only be permitted
after the hostess had examined the card. Calling cards were to be
collected on a small tray kept in the hallway, which would be presented
by a servant on the palm of his left hand. While a gentleman may carry
his cards loose in his pocket, a lady should use a card case. If the
gentleman received no acknowledgement of his card, he had to accept that
there would be no continuation of the acquaintance. And on no account
was it ever acceptable to sneak a peak at cards that had been left by
other callers.Image credit

Trade cards

Later in the 17th century, London merchants began to use ‘trade
cards’. At a time when street numbers were not in popular use, these
cards were a crucial promotional tool which informed customers of both
the business location and the serves available. They would be handed out
in public squares and markets and on occasions could be used to
establish trade links and credit with other local businesses. Trade
cards were taken very seriously, and a signed card would be considered
contractually and legally binding.Image Credit

18th – 19th century

The earliest business cards were made using wood-cut and letterpress
techniques. During the 18th century, copperplate engraving became the
standard practise. Cards tended to be single color prints until the
advent of lithographic printing in the 19th century, which made it
possible to use several colors.Image Credit
The merger
The industrial revolution led to a lessening of rigid rules when it
came to formality. The lines between social calling and trade promotion
became blurred, leading to the merger of the calling card and trade
card, which could be handed out on informal and formal occasions. That
said, the upper classes retained a certain snobbishness towards the
handing out of trade cards in polite company, particularly in Europe.Image Credit

20th – 21st centuries

Today’s business cards come in an array of shapes, sizes and
materials. Designs are no longer limited to paper-based products and
almost any surface can be printed on to create a unique card. And
thankfully, handing out your business card is no longer the etiquette
mineﬁeld as it was a few centuries ago. There are still a few essential
rules that should be followed to ensure its success. Keep your card easy
to read, service-appropriate and include all your relevant contact
details if you’re interested in building business acquaintances that get
you further than the front door.Image Credit